A Moment In Time With Ms. Kate

This past academic year, my senior research thesis topic for my chemistry major was on the synthesis of enzyme inhibitors as potential anti-cancer drugs. I had chosen to work on this project because I knew there could be a deeper purpose in the work that I did. I knew that if these compounds that I … Continue reading “A Moment In Time With Ms. Kate”


Death In A Different Light

The prospect of death has always been an unknown that has always brought about emotions of anxiety and fear for me. However, volunteering for Holisticare Hospice this past year has allowed me to view death in a different light than I once did. The different perceptions of death that I began to have were fostered … Continue reading “Death In A Different Light”


She had worked in a nursing home for a significant portion of her life

I only knew Mrs. T for a short time before she passed. My knowledge of her was constrained to such a small context. I knew Mrs. T as someone who enjoyed sitting in the sunroom just by the nurse’s station, as someone who was not afraid to ask for a hug, and as someone who … Continue reading “She had worked in a nursing home for a significant portion of her life”


My experiences reaffirmed my desire to be “a really weird doctor”

I always knew that the patients in hospice would pass away. After all, that’s why they were admitted to the program. But it was still a shock to me when I heard that ‘Mabel’ died before I could visit her as I had planned to do the next day. I had realized from our last … Continue reading “My experiences reaffirmed my desire to be “a really weird doctor””


Death should not prevent a physician from interacting and giving emotional support to a patient

I was often told that one of the hardest challenges a medical practitioner will face is the death of their patients. A physician must accept that no matter how skilled they are or how hard they try, there will be a number of patients that they cannot save. This grim reality did not deter me … Continue reading “Death should not prevent a physician from interacting and giving emotional support to a patient”




The relationship I built with her is one that I will value and remember forever

The relationship that I developed with Mary through the Pre-med Hospice Program is one that I will never forget. For most of this school year, I looked forward to visiting Mary at Devon Manor. Every week, I would walk into her room and see her warm smile. She was so excited to have a visitor, … Continue reading “The relationship I built with her is one that I will value and remember forever”


I saw how meaningful the final steps before passing are

Before entering this program, I experienced the death of two grandparents within six months of each other. The deaths each had their own impacts on me but when I look back at them in comparison to each other, I saw how meaningful the final steps before passing are. Having the opportunity to be part of … Continue reading “I saw how meaningful the final steps before passing are”